Ludacris. Unheard of. Insane. What if someone steals them? How many vegetables do you really need? Rubbish I say!
These are all comments that others have said when I mentioned that I was going to build a veggie patch in my front yard. Fortunately, I do not listen to comments such as these and tend to forge my own path in life, especially my sustainable path.
So this weekend, a long talked about plan came to fruition. We finally had the money, materials, and the man/woman power to make these garden beds.
For those who don’t know, we have terrible soil around our area. With only about an inch of topsoil, and then it is dense clay. Great soil for the indigenous flora, but not so good for annual vegetables. So we have to build our own soil, or make raised garden beds. I chose the latter, as you get much faster results.
However, here is what I had to play with. It was a rather big area that was devoid of moisture in the soil due to a massive and old pine tree that was beginning to lose its limbs.
So down came the tree, which we cut into firewood for the clay oven.
We also removed an overgrown bush. We also had to move a Cherry tree that was engulfed by masses of golden oxalis. We transplanted the cherry tree to near the front gate, and cleared the area.
We then went about designing the beds. After a few attempts, we came up with this.
Two L shapes with one inverted. It gave us over 11 square metres of additional growing space, which is very close to the size of my four main veggie beds on the west side of the house. North is to the left of the plan.
We chose River Red Gum, harvested from sustainably managed forests. It is a dense hardwood that will last for many decades, probably longer than I will. We needed two lengths. 2400mm (8 ft) and 3000mm (10 ft). The width was 50mm (2 inches) and the hight was 200mm (8 inches).
So the willing (and paid) workers for the day were Jake, Amy, and Megan, with Kim on catering, and me supervising under strict orders by all not to lift anything heavy due to my back. The first bed started to come together after about two hours of preparation.
However, we came across a snag. The pine tree stump was so high that we could not get the garden bed level. So it was out with the trusty axe to chop out the lateral roots. It took Amy, Megan and I about an hour to cut through and dig it out.
It was time for a well deserved rest after we had cut the wood for the second tier of the first bed.
Then we constructed the second bed. Jake (a carpenter by trade) brought along his nail gun, drop saw, and various other tools which made the work so much easier. We used hot dipped galvanised nails to fasten it all together.
Nice selfie Megan. You can see my transplanted cherry tree just over her shoulder, and all the real workers in the background!
I must say that Jake really loves his nail gun, as every joint was fixed with about six or seven nails. It will never come apart in my lifetime.
Once the second layer to the first bed was completed it was on to finish off the second bed before it started to rain.
You can imagine our aching muscles by this stage, but we soldiered on, laid thick cardboard under each bed to stop the weeds from breaking through, and cleaned up. There were not many red gum offcuts due to Ben’s maths skills. I tasked him to study the design and then calculate how many pieces of wood we would need to minimise waste. He was spot on, and there was only a small bucket of offcuts that I will use in the clay oven as fuel for the next pizza night. Clever lad.
Anyway, with the beds complete, it was time to call it a day and take the mandatory silly photo! We were bone tired, but very pleased with our efforts.
We are taking a break next weekend. In a fortnight we will be filling the beds in the same style as I documented in this post titled “How To Make Raised Garden Beds For Vegetables“.
Just in time for spring planting. I will be growing sweet corn and lots of spuds, with a bit of room for pumpkins and melons which will sprawl over the edges. This will let me plant out the main beds with Tomatoes, leafy greens, eggplants, chillies, capsicums (bell peppers), and the like.
I love reclaiming unproductive space around our yard. It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. Who says you can’t grow food in your front yard?
I love that you have used the front yard! We have recently moved house and both front and back courtyards have much less sun then I am used to. The front gets a little more, so I had to get over the idea that veggies “don’t go” in the front yard to be able to make it work… however I am still trying to get my set up right and desperately need to build some raised garden beds (after clearing the trees and shrubs that are currently there)
Thanks Whirlsie, and well done on considering the front yard for food production!
Gav x
Great stuff, Gavin. I find the whole “flowers in the front, veggies in the back” tradition nonsense, personally. There are so many places around the world (London anyone?) where people would dream of having a garden and it seems like such a waste of space that could be used for growing food to use it for lawn etc.
I live in a teenie tiny 1 bedroom apartment, so I must admit I do envy people with a bit of space. However, I do value the convenience of living in a high density area.
Next step- talking to the council and your local neighbourhood about getting some gardens going in the nature strips? 😉
Hi Sonia. We have already broached the subject with the council, and their by-laws state that only native flora is to be planted on the nature strip. I might just start myself a native food garden out there once I get these two beds filled and planted.
Gav x
Good Stuff Gav.
If you go around areas like Coburg, Northcote, Carlton (not so much now) Ascot Vale and many other places, you will see there are still many front gardens full of fruit and vegetables.
European migrants from the 50’s and 60’s had no hesitation using front and back gardens this way. The front veggie garden started to disappear in amny places for a few years but they seem to making a comeback.
Cheers
Hi Mick. It would be great to see more of it in all suburbs!
Gav
Good job to your and your team. I think there will come a time where people will be looking for any space at all to grow food in an we will welcome any patch of dirt you can find.
I agree Fiona. That time may come sooner than we think. However until then, we can only lead by example to start the conversation.
Gav x
Excellent teamwork! And great results.
Cheers tpals
Brilliant idea, it certainly beats paving over it and parking on it as so many people do in the UK. We’re about to move into a house with such a front garden and will probably have to park on it as we’ll have no drive. However I will be putting iherbs and fruit bushes in pots along with flowers so at least we’ll have a small bit of habitat and food production. The rest will just have to fit into the 90ft back garden – out there I’m planning veg beds, a greenhouse and fruit trees – and that’s just the start. I’ll also have a cool, dark brick shed to turn into a cheese cellar – woo hoo! cheese making here I come.
ps Tell Ben we care 🙂
Hi Curvywitch. I know what you mean. My mother-in-law lives in a terraced house in Southampton and has concrete in the front and a long backyard. She has tried to grow a few veg with limited success.
Well done on your cheese cellar. I bet my video tutorials will come in handy.
Gav x
Nice one Gavin. Sounds like a sensible use of the space and a great demonstration that food doesn’t have to be grown ’round the back. Just think of how many more people will see the merit in using a front yard space, especially if that’s the sunny side of the house. Love you’re work. Serendipity2000.
Thanks so much Serendipity. It is indeed the sunny side and get full sun all day, even in winter.
Gav x
Gosh those look good, and I love the look of the reddish wood. I love to build up garden beds that way – it really brings in the worms and creates lovely soil.
Thanks AA, I reckon that these beds will be full of worms in 6 months. There were not many worms around in the poor soil, but they multiply very quickly given a source of food (as you already know).
Looking forward to filling these beds up.
Gav x
Damn straight! I love the raised beds – they look fab in red gum. I also grow veggies and many a fruit tree in the front yard and while I have had some stolen (before the new fence went it – it’s amazing how a low picket type fence instead of an open area is enough of a barrier to prevent theft) it has been suprisingly little and certainly less than the resident pests eat. The number of people I’ve spoken too who keep an eye on what is growing, whats been pulled out and what is going in on their walks around the neighbourhood has meant making a lot more friends. And it means more delicious food for me!
Hi Bek. Yes it is amazing what a difference a 5ft picket fence makes. It is a physiological barrier more than physical one.
It is great that your front yard veggies are building community where you are. Well done. Hopefully so will mine.
Gav x
Good work. We have veggies and fruit trees in the front garden… and on the nature strip.. and on the neighbours nature strips!! Go Local food production!!
Local food is just the best!
Thanks Funkbunny.
Veggies in the front yard are good! Last summer we had melons and pumpkins roaming over our front garden and it was wonderful. Our neighbours were fascinated, specially if I was out there when they wandered past and offered them a melon or a pumpkin. They’re already asking if I’ll be growing anything different this year. My aim for this summer is to expand the beds too.
Hi Cath. Well done.
These beds will get full sun all day, so I am hoping for a massive crop! We are investigating some form of shade as well for the scorching summer days.
Gav x
I am in the process of making myself a raised bed. I love watching your family utilize every usable inch of your limited space. It is amazing to watch. Pop is not into my type of gardening,so I need to prove to him that my way is going to be better. Especially for our age related problems such as our weakened backs and limited joint movement.It’s great to be back following you once more.
Nice to have you back Sue.
Gav x
My veges are in the front yard (on what was the lawn) and I don’t think I have had any go missing from theft (now bugs are another matter entirely!!). All 4 of my beds are raised and put together the no dig way. I too would love to expand them, but with 3 young adults still at home and 2 with cars that we want to keep off the street I have to make a sacrifice. Can’t put veges out the back – the dogs would eat them before we did. My next project is a worn farm..
Well done Joy Belle. May your worms grow fat and hungry!
Gav x
Great use of the space, Gavin. I guess it would be tempting to build something rectangular and easy but you have really maximised your growing space this way and it looks fantastic.
“There were not many red gum offcuts due to Ben’s maths skills. I tasked him to study the design and then calculate how many pieces of wood we would need to minimise waste.”
Homeschooling at its best!
Cheers Pavel.
I was very impressed with Ben’s maths skills. It would have taken me ages to figure out. He is really enjoying the freedom that comes with homeschooling.
Gav x
Hi, Gav. We have all of our vege gardens out the front. Because of the chickens and the pool, there wasn’t really any other place to put the veges. I love it because I always tell the neighbours to help themselves to the abundance of leafy greens, and it is a great way to chat to people I don’t know. It certainly is a conversation starter.
Hi BM. Great work.
I dare say I will be starting many conversations as I will now regularly work out there. We even have a bench seat set up to relax with a homebrew beer after a hard days work!
Gav x
Hi Gav, gosh a lot of comments above, you certainly are popular and rightly so. They do look good and i admire all that girl power you were using. We have an even bigger pine tree in our front yard that has to come down but we just look at it and go oh my….. What to do? Im making progress with Hubby and he did say last week that we might be able to put a fruit tree in the front but im not allowed anything on the fence. I’ll take what i can get and just bide my time.
Im feeling a bit better this week and have decided that Peppy wouldnt want us to grieve too long. I miss him so much but life moves on and i need to honour his gift of love not wallow in self pity. So, im back to my cheeky self trying to make smiles where i can.
Hi Lynda. I too was surprised by the popularity of this post, but I suppose it is not everyday that you see veggies in the front yard. Especially in the newer suburbs.
Keep on chipping away at him, he will break eventually! ;-), and I am glad that you are feeling much better now. It took me ages to get over the passing of my mate Butch, so I fully understand mate.
Gav x
We put veggies in the front yard about 18 months ago- Andrew was sick of mowing the front yard, so we decided to lay down old carpet and cardboard, chicken feed bags etc, and put raised beds on top. We did a mix of redgum, and corrugated iron beds, then put gravel around them. It’s a part of the garden we don’t have to worry about the chickens getting into, and I think it plants a seed in the minds of people who walk past our house. There are at least 5 houses in our little area that have productive gardens in the front yard, I get so excited when a new one pops up. The ripple effect at it’s best. Productive gardens, and solar power. It’s pretty satisfying hearing people walk past trying to identify the plants growing. Can’t wait to see how yours progresses.
Hi Alicia, I have been following your front yard veggie patch progress on your blog. It is a nice little setup.
I am also very encouraged the you mentioned the ripple effect that it has caused. Hopefully our beds will do the same.
Gav x
Hey Gav,
The garden beds look awesome! They will look even awesomer I am sure at that moment when you get to pick the fruits of your “folly” in planting out veggies in your front garden. 😉 I agree too with the comment that one day and not too far off we will be grateful to those who DO plant out every available space as they are the ones who may have excess to share with those with no gardens and no food. We are in the process of planting our front garden with food crops, fruit trees and bushes as well as annual veggies.
As for your native verge garden, there is a native plant that has berries that can substitute nicely for peppercorns. It was in the Winter diggers catalogue I think. 🙂
I’ve had raspberries, mulberries, strawberries, pumpkin and potatoes in the front garden for years Gavin, and despite telling passers-by to take what they want they still look really guilty when they see me! 🙂 Apparently they wonder with the next door neighbour about what I’ll plant this spring though! And kids do laps on their bikes till I go back inside before raiding the berries. I love it – guerrilla sharing!!
It’s great to hear from someone else willing to buck the norm and get veg in the front yard. Well done, especially those tempting berries!